Wang nearly perfect for NY
Broussard breaks up bid in Mariners' loss
Always unflappable, Chien-Ming Wang was nearly unhittable yesterday in New York. Perfect, in fact, before one misplaced changeup.
Wang carried his bid for a perfect game into the eighth inning before Ben Broussard hit the only changeup he threw all day for a one-out homer, and the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners, 8-1.
Catcher Jorge Posada knew the changeup was in trouble from the start.
"As soon as he threw it," Posada said, "I was just hoping the guy didn't swing at it."
Facing a Mariners team that got season highs of 15 runs and 20 hits the previous night, Wang (1-2) was in control the whole way. Seattle struggled to do anything with Wang's heavy sinker, one of the best pitches in the majors.
One simple changeup did him in.
Wang said he left the ball "high."
He got Richie Sexson to roll back to him for the first out of the eighth, but Broussard followed with a home run to right-center field.
"It'd feel better if we had won," Broussard said. "But, definitely, I think everybody's a competitor. Nobody wants to get no-hit. I think everybody was going up just trying to have a good at-bat, maybe see some pitches and see what happens."
Astros 13, Cardinals 0 -- Host St. Louis absorbed another big hit -- the news that it will be without ace pitcher Chris Carpenter for at least three months -- while getting routed by Houston.
Matt Albers pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning on short rest for his first major league win and fellow rookie Hunter Pence hit a grand slam for his first career homer in Houston's victory.
During the rout, the Cardinals announced that Carpenter will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery Tuesday, a procedure that will sideline him at least three months. Carpenter is optimistic he'll pitch the last two months of the season.
Dodgers 6, Braves 3 -- Derek Lowe outpitched Tim Hudson, giving up three hits and an unearned run in seven innings, and Los Angeles won in Atlanta in a matchup of first-place teams.
Lowe (3-3) had eight strikeouts and walked two batters. After giving up a leadoff double to Willie Harris in the fifth inning, Lowe retired the last nine batters he faced.
Hudson (3-1) also pitched well while taking his first loss in eight career starts against the Dodgers.
Giants 9, Phillies 4 -- Barry Bonds hit his 744th career home run in host San Francisco's victory, moving him within 11 of Hank Aaron's record of 755.
Bonds led off the second inning and sent the first pitch from Jon Lieber over the fence in center for his 10th homer of the year, a drive that traveled an estimated 438 feet. Bonds connected for the fifth time in his career against Lieber.
Padres 7, Marlins 6 -- Josh Bard's single in the 12th inning in Miami brought Brian Giles home with the winning run, as San Diego rallied in the ninth and went on to beat Florida.
Cubs 5, Nationals 3 -- Aramis Ramirez homered and host Chicago benefited from three bases-loaded walks by emergency reliever Levale Speigner, leading Rich Hill and the Cubs over Washington for their seventh win in eight games.
Brewers 6, Pirates 3 -- Jeff Suppan won his fifth straight start, J.J. Hardy hit a three-run homer, and host Milwaukee beat sloppy Pittsburgh.
Rockies 9, Reds 7 -- Chris Iannetta and Matt Holliday hit two-run homers off host Cincinnati's battered bullpen, powering Colorado to victory and its first winning series on the road.
Mets 6, Diamondbacks 2 -- Call-up Jorge Sosa outpitched reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, Shawn Green homered and drove in three runs, and visiting New York beat Arizona for its 13th straight victory at Chase Field.
Devil Rays 3, Athletics 2 -- Brendan Harris hit a game-winning RBI single in the 12th inning and Ty Wigginton hit two solo homers to lead host Tampa Bay over Oakland.
White Sox 6, Angels 3 -- Jon Garland won for the first time this season and visiting Chicago beat Los Angeles, ending a five-game losing streak.
Orioles 8, Indians 2 -- Daniel Cabrera pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Ramon Hernandez homered and drove in four runs, and host Baltimore breezed past Cleveland.
Tigers 7, Royals 5 -- Craig Monroe hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning to lift Detroit to its sixth straight victory with a win in Kansas City, Mo.
Rangers 11, Blue Jays 4 -- Michael Young homered and had five RBIs, including a two-run double that keyed a six-run third inning off Toronto ace Roy Halladay, and host Texas extended the Blue Jays' losing streak to five games. 